Machine for treating incandescent mantles.



No. 639,332. Patented nec. I9, |899.

' J. H. ABERCROMBIE.

MACHINE FR TBEATING INCANDESCENT MANTLES.

(Applicaticn filed Jan. 3, 1899.)- (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 uNTTEDSTATES PATENT EEIcE.

JAMES n. ABERCROMBIE, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, AssieNOR TO nIMsELE ANDROBERT B. sYMINeTON, or sAME PLACE.

MACHIN FOR TREATING INCANDESCENT IVIANTLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,332, dated December19d, 11899. Application filed January 3, 1899. berial No! 700,934. (Nomodel.)

To tZZ whom zit may concern.-

Be it known that LJAMEs H. ABERCROMBIE, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing in Newark, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machinesfor Treating Incandescent Maut-les, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is to provide a io machine in which certainsteps in the operation of manufacturing mantles of the Welsbach type maybe successively performed, and thereby reduce the cost of manufacture bylessening the labor and handling during` and between the several steps.

In the usual process the material forming the mantle is knitted into theform of a contin nous tube or hose, which is carefully Washed and dried,out into proper lengths,

2o and saturated with the salts in solu tion. The excess is removed, andthe mantle again dried. It is then gathered and served at the end toserve as the top and the incombustiblecord inserted to form asuspending-loop,or, if of the ring-topform, the wire or cord is attachedand the mantle mounted on its support. In the next operation the fabricis ignited and burned olf,7 leaving the salts. The mantle is then shapedover a properly-adjusted Bun- 3o sen flame and afterward hardened at thesame or a subsequent operation over a similar flame, properlyconditioned. Then follows the dipping and trimming steps, after whichthe mantle is ready for service or to be carefully packed for futureuse.

In the present invention the operations up to the burning off may be asusual,-by hand or Otherwise. The burning oif,'shapin g, and hardeningare performed automatically by 4o the machine with only the hand servicere- 'quired in placing the mantle in position and removing it whencompleted.

The invention consists of a series of mantle-supporting devices mountedin a revolving frame or other carrier, each adapted to receive and holda mantle and present it for treatment to a burner or other active agent.In the machine as I have carried it out a spider-frame having a seriesof radial arms is 5o mounted on a revolving vertical shaft, each armcarrying a vertical slide inwhich the mantle is mounted and which restsupon a suitably-faced Xed track which serves in raising and lowering theslides at the required points in their travel. A series ofautomatically-controlled burners are so placed relatively to the slidesas to act upon the mantles and perform the required functions in theseveral steps.

The invention also consists in certain novel 6o details of constructionand arrangements of parts to be hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show theinvention as I have carried it out. A Figure 1 is a vertical sectionthrough 'the machine, partly in elevation. Fig. 2f is agplan view,partly in horizontal section, and having certain portions broken away oromitted to more clearly show the construction. Fig. 3 7o is adiagram, ona smaller scale, showing the circular track governing the verticalmovements of the slides developed in a plane. The remaining figures areon a larger scale and show portions detached. Fig. 4 is a plan 75 or topview of the burner and immediatelyadjacent parts. Fig. 5 is acorresponding elevation. Fig. Gisahorizontal section through themantle-supporting device, and Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on theline 7 7 in the 8o preceding figure.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

A is the circular base of the fixed framework, of cast-iron, on whichare mountedfour equally-spaced uprights A', joined by a top plate A2above to form a stilf and strong support for the revolving parts within.

A3 is a step located centrally on the base and bored to receive thevertical shaft B and 9o supporting the latter and its connections bymeans of a collar B', resting on the upper face, and is equipped with anannular trough or channel b for the reception of Oil or other lubricant.The shaft passes through and re-,95

volves in a boss A4 in the top plate and is provided With a Worm-WheelB3, secured kto the sleeve B2 of the collar and receiving the requiredsmooth and steady motion from a Worm G on a shaft C, driven by a motor.shown.)

D is a spider frame or carrier consisting of (Not roo a ceases a platehaving a central hub D, by which it is secured to the shaft B andrevolves with it. The radial arms D2 terminate each in an up'- rightguide D2, having a cover-plate D4, inclosing a rectangular slide or barF, arranged to rise and sink freely in the guide. There may be as manyarms as the capacity of "the machine requires orits size will allow. lhave for convenience shown twelve; but there may be a greater or lessnumber. All, with their connections and adjacent parts, are similar, andtherefore a detailed description of one will suffice.

Each slide F carries a short lateral stud F on the projecting lower end,equipped with a roller F2, resting upon the upper face of a continuouscircular track E and held thereon by gravity, while allowing the slideto rise and sink in following the elevations and depressions therein.The track lies just within the uprights A and is supported by bracketsA5, extendinginwardlytherefrom. Attheupper end of the slide is pivoted atransverse lever H, having a downward extension H', provided with asocket H2, consisting of a short tube having a deep notch h and cheeks7L for receiving and holding the wire support M' of a mantle M. One armH3 of the lever H carries a finger H4, shaped to lie upon a longcircular track or cam-surface T, supported, like the-track E, below fromthe uprights A' and hold the lever H in the slightly tilted or inclinedposition while upon the high portion of the cam against the force of atensile spring H5, which returns the lever to the vertical when the lowportion of the cam is reached. H4i is a set-screw by which theuninclined position may be adjusted.

J is one of a series of Bunsen burners arranged to stand verticallybetween the arms D2 and revolving with the frame. Each is located nearits slide and in such relation thereto as to act on the suspendedmantle, as will be described. The burners may be of any ordinary orapproved construction, and

each receives its supply of gas and air from a central annular casing I,surrounding the shaft and bolted to the under face of the spider-frame.The supply to each individual burner is controlled by valves K L in thepipes K and L, the stemsof which are provided with T- heads K2 L2,adapted to successively strike a series of pins A, properly placed inthe table A7, forming part of the fixed frame, as the spider-framerevolves, and thus vary the volume of air and gas as required inconditioning the flame to the several operations. The annular casing Iis peculiarly constructed. It is divided horizontally into two portionsheld together by suitable bolts and separated by the diaphragm l', eachportion having an annular vertical partition I2 again dividing the spaceabove and below the diaphragm and forming, with the latter, four annularchambers t', t2, i2, and

The lower end B4 of the shaft B is bored aX-' ially and by means of acoupling-joint N rcceives air under low pressure from a reservoir orblower (not shown) and delivers it through the pipe N2 to the annularchamber i4, from which radiate all the pipes L, supplying air to theseveral burners J. Gas is conveyed through a pipe O' and coupling O tothe bored upper end B5 of the shaft, from which it iiows to an annularcasing R, similar to the casing l below, but without the verticalpartitions, the diaphragm R simply dividing the interior of the casinginto two chambers r r2, the lowermost, r2, serving for gas,vwhich isreceived from the bore in the shaft through a lateral pipe O2, branchingin each direction vertically, one branch leading to the chamber 'r2 andthe other downward to the gas-chamber t', from which radiate thegas-pipes K'.

P is a heating-pipe located beneath each airpipe L and serving toincrease the efficiency of the burner-dame by warming the air iiowingthereto. It receives its gas from the chamber t2, to which it isadmitted through apertures 715 t6, formed in the upper partition I2 andin the diaphragm between the chambers z2 i2, as shown. Thus it will beseen that gas is contained in all the chambers of the casing l,excepting only I4, which contains air. To supply air to the upperchamber, a pipe S, communicating with the bore B4 at a point above thespider-frame, leads to the chamber o, passing through the lower chamberr2, the junction being sealed against the escape of gas by the washer S'and nut S2.

From the upper casing R radiate air and gas pipes V WV, supplying theseveral burners U, located above the burners J and controlled by thevalves V W', operated by T-heads V2 W2 and contact-pins A2 on the underface of the top plate A2 in the same manner as those below.

The high portion t of the cam-surface T extends nearly the Wholecircumference and serves to incline the socket and mantle-supportsufciently to bring the mantle in axial line with the burner J and atthe same time to swing the lower edge or skirt of the mantle clear ofthe support to insure against injury by contact against the latter,particularly during the burning-off step before the shrinking due tothat operation has reduced the dimensions. The angle should be veryslight to avoid any tendency to a permanent set7 or inclination of themantle relatively to the support in the finished article.

To further -lessen the liability of contact between the skirt andsupport, I prefer to make the latter, as shown, with an offset M2' nearthe lower end as great as may be without interfering with the bumer-chimney when the mantle is in use. This construction affords all theroom that can be allowed and serves another' important function in thatit offers convenient means for better securing the support laterally inthe slide F against any tendency to turn in the socket H2 and notch h byits engagement between the cheeks h h before described.

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v The fragile character of the mantle after burning off requires thatallthe movements shall be very steady, a condition attained by theworm-gear, and the transitions from the high to the low portions of thetrack E and cam-surface T should be carefully inclined and rounded anddetermined relatively to the size of the roller employed and the fingerH4 to insure against slight shocks and vibrations.

When the burning off is done from below, using the lower burnerJ for allthe steps, the operation is as follows: The attendant, supplied withmantles each on its respective support M', stands at the left of themachine, as seen in Figs. l and 2, at the donning and doffing portion ofthe cycle and places one in each socket H2 as it is presented, takingcare that the offset M2 rests in the notch h and between the cheeks h.The slide thus loaded is at this period in the highest part of itstravel, "the roller F2 lying upon the part e of the track E. It movesforward in this position in the direction indicated by the arrow untilthe roller reaches the incline e', where itgrad ually lowers the mantleover the burner J, which is at this time supplied with only sufficientgas 'to preserve ignition. The lowering continues until the upper partof the burner reaches the upper interior of the m antle. At this stagethe roller lies in the low portion e2 of the track, and the T-heads ofthe valves K L are turned by striking the proper pins to turn on thesupply and ignite the upper portion of the mantle. The valves are thenagain automatically turned by contact with a further set of pins toreduce the flame, and the roller reaching the ascent e3 lifts the mantlesomewhat to allow free combustion and lessen the danger of contact andproduce the proper relative position of mantle and burner for thesucceeding shaping. The burning off thus initiated may continue throughnearlylthree-fifths ofthe circuit,when the T-heads strike a set of pinsto condition the fiame to a degree of intensity required for themoment-ary shaping process, which causes the mantle to fill out to therequired form, and the roller immediately thereafter rides over a seriesof elevations and depressions e4 e5, which cause the mantle to rise andsink over the burner to produce an effect analogous to hand treatment inthe hardening process, and at the same time the fiame is varied by a setof pins so located as to properly condition the burner-supply for thisportion of the treatment, which. is finished as the roller reaches theincline c, and the flame is then reduced to the condition of simpleignition first described. The ascent of the roller raises the mantleclear of the burner, and it is removed,with its support, andan untreatedone mounted in the vacant place. The operation is continuous, eachmantle being preferably treated successively at all the steps in thecycle.

The upper burners U are intended to serve Y as an alternative device,their function being to ignite the mantle from above on the eX- teriorinstead of from Within, as before described, and are operated by pins ASin the top plate A2 to induce the required flame and again reduce it assoon as the mantle is fairly ignited. When this burner is used, the pinson the table A7, governing the supply to the burners J below, will be soplaced that the latter will not be turned up until the shaping portionof the cycle is reached. The cam T serves also in this alternativearrangement, being so shaped as to tilt the socket and swing the mantleclear of its support and adjacent surfacesduringtheburning-off process.This is accomplished through the finger I-ll4 riding upon the highportion t of the cam and correspondingly tilting the arm H and socket H2thereon, holding the latter in the inclined position until the burningoff is accomplished and the finger reaches the low portion t of the cam.The mantle is then directly above the lower burner J and is treatedthereby throughout the remaining steps, as before described.

It will be observed that the handwork of the attendant is reduced to thesimple placing and removal of the supports and their mantles, andbesides the saving in labor and time thus effected it is believed thatgreater uniformity in the appearance and in the structure of the mantlemay be attained bythe usev of this invention.

Modifications may be made within wide limits without departing from theprinciple of the invention or sacrificing its advantages. The materialsand forms may be varied indefinitely, and parts may be used without thewhole. There may be a greater or less num ber of the arms D2, and theroller for each slide may be mounteddirectly in the lower part of theslide to ride upon a corresponding track. The arrangemant of the burnersmay be varied, and the socket receiving the support may be iXcd to theslide, dispensing with the lever H, or the cheeks h may be omitted fromthe socket and the support steadied by a pair of jaws near the top ofthe lever, adapted to clamp the support firmly at that point.

The overhead burners may be omitted, and it will be understood that thepins for all the sets of burners may be adjustable in position, andother means for controlling the burners automatically may b'esubstituted.

A greater or less number of steps in the operation may be performed, andthe operation itself may be Varied to conform to the methods favored bydifferent manufacturers or other requirements.

Instead 4of the provisions for tilting the mantle the levermay be set tohold the socket at a predetermined inclination throughout the cycle. Insuch case the lever should be adjustable, so that it may be inclined tosuit the requirements of a batch or run of mantles of the same style orsize, and particularly IOO IIO

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to accommodate the ring-top form, in which the degree of swing isnecessarily less than in the freer loop form.

Other forms of gearing may be substituted for the Worm-gear shown, orthe shaft may be revolved at the desired slow rate of speed by a beltrunning on a pulley or otherwise.

When the top burner U is employed for the burning off, the cam T may beshortened to cover only that portion of the cycle.

Although I have described the mantle as supported on a vertically-movingslide, and thus presented to the burner, it Will be understood that anyarrangement of parts that will produce the required changes in relativeposition of the mantle and burner in ay be substituted.

I claim- 1. In amachine for treating mantles, means for supporting themantle in position for treatment, 4a burner for the mantle, means forbringing such mantle into relation with the burner, -and means forvarying the flame of such burner in various steps in the treatment ofthe mantle, all combined substantially as herein specified.

2. In a machine for treating mantles, means for supporting the mantle, aburner, means for automatically bringing the mantle into relation withthe burner, and means for varying the flame of the burner at differentsteps in the treatment of the mantle, all combined substantially asherein specified.

3. In a machine for treating mantles, means for supporting the mantle, aburner, means for bringing the mantle into relation with the burner, andmeans for automatically varying the flame of the burner at various stepsin the treatment of the mantle, all combined substantially as hereinspecified.

4. In a machine for treating mantles, means `for supporting the mantle,a burner, means for automatically bringing the mantle into relation withthe burner, and means for auf tomatically varying the flame of theburner at various steps in the treatment of the mantle, all combinedsubstantially as herein specified.

5. In a machine for treating mantles, a mantle-carrying device mountedin a moving frame or carrier, a burner adapted to act on said mantle,means for bringing said device and burner into operative relation toeach other and means for-controlling the supply to said burner by themovement of said frame, all combined and arranged to serve substantiallyas herein specified.

6. In a machine for treating mantles, a series of slides mounted in amoving frame or carrier with liberty to rise and sink therein, means forraising and lowering said slides, a series of burners each located neara slide and beneath the mantle carried thereon and adapted to act onsaid mantle, and means for automatically controlling the flames of saidburners, all combined and arranged to serve substantially as and for thepurposes herein specified.

7. In a machine for treating mantles, a re volving Vfrance or carrier, aseries ofY slides mounted therein with liberty to rise and sink, aroller carried by each, a track upon which said rollers travel havingelevations and depressions for raising and lowering said slides, asocket on each of the latter adapted to receive and hold a supportcarrying a mantle, and a series of burners carried in said frame andadapted to treat said mantles in successive steps in the manufacture,all combined and arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

8. In a machine for treating mantles, a revolving frame, a series ofvertically-moving slides carried therein,a roller carried by each, atrack upon which said rollers travel having elevations and depressionsfor raising and lowering said slides, a socket on each of said slidesadapted to receive and hold a support carrying a mantle, a series ofburners carried in said frame each located near one of said slides, airand gas pipes and their controlling'- valves supplying air and gas tosaid burners, and pins mounted in the fixed framework in such relationto said valves as to be struck thereby and thus automatically regulatethe supply of air and gas as required, all combined substantially asherein specified.

9. A revolving frame or carrier, a series of vertically-moving slidescarried therein, a roller on each, a track upon which said rollerstravel having elevations and depressions for raising and loweringsaidslides, a socket on each of the latter adapted to receive and hold amantle-carrying support, a series of burners J located below saidmantles, aseries of burners U located above said mantles, airpipes L andV and gas-pipes K and W, controlling-valves L, V and KQ W', and pins A(iand A8 set in the fixed framework for varying the positions of saidvalves and thereby regulate the supply of air and gas as required, allcombined and arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

l0. The shaft B hollowed at the ends B4 and B5, a series of burners Jand their air and gas supply pipes L and K, a series of burners U andtheir air and gas supply pipes V and W both series carried by saidshaft, the casing I having the diaphragm I' and partitions I2, thecasing R having the diaphragm R', and the pipes N2, S and O2 leadingfrom said hollow ends to said casings, all combined and arranged toserve substantially as herein specified.

1l. The shaft B hollowedat the ends B4 B5, a series of burners J andtheir air and gas supply pipes L, K carried by said shaft, the casing Iand diaphragm I therein, and the pipes N2, O2 leading from said hollowedends to said casing, all combined and arranged to serve substantially asherein speciiied.

12. The slide Fand socket H2 carried there- IOO IOS

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on having the notch h and cheeks h', in coinbination with amantle-support M having the offset M2 adapted to be received and held insaid socket, all substantially as herein specified. e

13. The slide F and tilting lever H carried thereon, the socket H2 onsaid lever adapted to receive and hold a mantle-support, and a finger H4on said lever adapted to serve in tilting said lever relatively to saidslide, all combined substantially as and for the purposes hereinspecilied.

14. In a machine for treating mantlcs, the frame D, the verticallymoving slides F mounted therein, a track E upon which said slides aresupported, a shaft B carrying said frame a lever H mounted on said slideand carrying a socket adapted to receive and hold a mantle-carryingsupport, a linger H4 on said lever and a cam T adapted to act on saidiinger and thereby tilt said lever relatively to said slide, allcombined and arranged to serve substantially as herein specied.

15. In a machine for treating mantles, a revolving frame a series ofslides carried therein, a track supporting said slides, a tilting leveron each of the latter adapted to support a mantle, a linger on saidlever, a cam acting on said ngers, and a series of burners oarried insaid frame and automatically controlled by its movements, all combinedand arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

In testimony that l claim the invention above set forth I aflix mysignature in pres- 35 ence of two witnesses.

J. H. ABERCROMBIE. Witnesses:

JOSEPH HART,

MICHAEL A. OLEARY.

